VMAs 2025: Here's Why Lady Gaga Left in the Middle of the Show Despite Winning 4 Awards

The 39-year-old actress and musician dominated the stage in minutes, collecting honors, sharing raw emotion, and slipping away for a very important commitment.

She swept the stage, bared her soul, and was gone. On September 7, 2025, Lady Gaga transformed the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) into a whirlwind of triumph before racing back to her tour.

The global superstar was crowned one of the night's biggest winners, taking home four coveted Moon Person statues. Her music video for "Abracadabra" claimed Best Direction, co-helmed with Bethany Vargas and Parris Goebel, as well as Best Art Direction, steered by Wesley Goodrich.

Her duet with Bruno Mars, the sultry "Die With A Smile," scooped up Best Collaboration, thrilling fans with its retro aesthetic. But it was the moment Gaga's name was called for Artist of the Year that truly cemented the night as hers.

Onstage, Gaga reflected deeply on what the honor meant to her. She admitted that even before the show, she had thought about how much winning would mean, and confessed she could hardly put that feeling into words.

She described artistry as something already "so rewarding" in itself — an act of discipline and craft meant to connect souls, spark dreams, and reach into the heart of an audience. For Gaga, being an artist carried weight: a responsibility to make people smile, dance, cry, and celebrate community together.

Her speech soon turned personal. She dedicated the award to her loyal fans, praising their individuality and assuring them they "deserve a stage to shine on." She added, "Thank you, Little Monsters, my fans, for always supporting me and always supporting the monster in me."

Afterward, she was grateful for her fiancé, Michael Polansky, whom she called her "partner every step of the way," and described their shared years together as nothing short of a beautiful dream.

But just as the celebration reached its height, Gaga stunned the crowd with her farewell. "I wish I could stay and watch all these amazing performances but I have to go back to Madison Square Garden," she told the audience, her tone both apologetic and resolute.

According to the official schedule, Gaga's sold-out Mayhem Ball Tour was set for the same night as the VMAs, forcing a rapid turnaround between the awards stage and one of New York's most iconic arenas.

Yet that whirlwind pace came on the heels of turmoil. Just days earlier, the mood around Gaga's Miami tour stop had taken a sharp turn. As previously reported, thousands of fans were left reeling when news broke that the show was canceled.

On September 3, fans received word that the show was called off due to a sudden health issue, mere moments before curtain time, a revelation that left many concertgoers furious, heartbroken, and desperate for answers.

A Silent Stage and No Warning

The shocking update dropped just ten minutes before fans were expected to flood the venue, many of whom had already been waiting outside in humid, stifling heat.

This isn't the first time the pop queen's health has affected her career. For longtime Little Monsters, the singer's latest health setback may echo a deeper, more enduring battle. Back in 2017, Gaga revealed her crippling struggle with fibromyalgia.

A Painful History

Diagnosed with fibromyalgia — a chronic condition that causes widespread pain and crushing fatigue — Gaga was forced to cancel dates of her global tour as she battled relentless symptoms.

Back then, the pain was so intense she turned to cannabis for relief, and she described physical torment and the mental toll of performing through agony.

The situation grew so serious that speculation surfaced concerning whether her career focus would permanently shift to lower-impact performances, like her jazz residencies or her roles in "House of Gucci" and "Joker: Folie à Deux."

But recently, Gaga has reclaimed control of her condition, assuring fans the worst is behind her, although she admitted to still experiencing occasional flare-ups.

'I Feel Lucky': Lady Gaga Reflects on Surviving Fame and Pain

Reflecting on her experience, Gaga has spoken about how fibromyalgia and fame in general have tested not only her physical endurance but her mental resilience.

"I feel lucky. People do not always make it through the career and the success that I have had. They don't always get to the other side, given how it can affect your mental health and body. But I did," she divulged in a revealing interview with The Times earlier this year (2025).

A Heart-Wrenching Instagram Reveal

Turning to Instagram Stories to explain the sudden decision to cancel her Miami performance, Gaga revealed that the night before the show, during rehearsals, and again during vocal warmups just hours before doors opened, her voice became severely strained.

Doctors and vocal coaches intervened, warning the "Poker Face" superstar of the risks she would have faced had she gone on stage. "I want to be hardcore and just push through this for you," Gaga told fans. "But I don't want to risk long-term or permanent damage."

Acknowledging the intensity of her shows, which feature live vocals and high-energy choreography night after night, Gaga said the decision to pull out was devastating but necessary.

She extended a tearful apology to her fans, reiterating just how painful the choice was, and pleaded for understanding and forgiveness. Gaga also emphasized her deep love and respect for her loyal audience.

Organizers Respond, but Fans Lash Out

Event organizers quickly echoed her message, assuring ticketholders that updates on refunds and rescheduling would be announced soon.

But outside the venue — in high humidity and mounting frustration — fans erupted with a mixture of compassion, heartbreak, and outrage.

One furious fan took to social media to slam the venue's handling of the situation. "It's one thing that lady Gaga had vocal strain. As fans we get that [sic]," they began.

"It's the fact that people were waiting outside for two hours in 88% humidity. While you guys had staff inside laughing, pointing and [sic] even flicking off the crowd outside. You guys post an Instagram post before even announcing it in the speaker," they concluded.

Another added, "I love Gaga and completely understand. But we were standing outside for 2 plus hours in 90% humidity only to be teased by the staff inside watching us in line. They laughed and waved and flipped us off which I find extremely disrespectful [sic]."

The flood of complaints continued, with some slamming the lack of care for elderly fans and the total breakdown in communication.

"there was at least 7k people waiting outside. there were elderly people trying to get help and information. this is so unprofessional. the staff could not have done a worse job on helping/advising the fans of the situation [sic]," remarked one person. Another fan, who traveled all the way from the Caribbean, shared her emotional plea directly with Gaga.

"@ladygaga my sisters and I flew in from the Caribbean paid exorbitant fees for hotel accommodation and flight and were only informed that this show was postponed 10 mins before start time while waiting outside in the line for about an hour and a half [sic]," she penned.

The concertgoer then noted, "I do hope you feel better but I hope your management is able to reimburse us for this. Or please, I beg, let this be rescheduled soon while we are in Miami."

Before There Was Heartbreak in Miami, There Were Tears in Los Angeles

Though many fans were left heartbroken outside the Miami venue, an earlier moment in Gaga's tour had already revealed just how emotionally invested the pop icon is in this new chapter of her career.

During the first night of the Los Angeles leg of the Mayhem Ball tour, Gaga stunned a packed Kia Forum crowd of over 17,000 fans — not just with high-octane hits, theatrical visuals, and powerhouse vocals, but with a heartfelt tribute to her past, her family, and her beloved supporters.

After two hours of performing, video footage shows Gaga sitting near the edge of the stage with a piano, weeping as the crowd roared. Overwhelmed by the moment, she placed her hands over her face, visibly emotional, before she blew kisses and thanked the fans for believing in her.

In a speech that followed, the "Bad Romance" artist spoke about her early days in Los Angeles after moving there at just 19 years old. She told fans, "People here didn't always believe in me. You all believed in me, thank you! This night, for me and for each other, really makes me feel so special. I hope that all year and all Summer that you feel my love."

She then dedicated her ballad "Vanish Into You" to her two nieces, who were in the crowd, inviting fans to join in on the intimate family tribute.

That unforgettable night in Los Angeles was no accident — it was a raw expression of a woman who has fought tooth and nail to stay true to her voice, both literally and emotionally.

From Mayhem Comes Meaning

In a candid interview with Teen Vogue, Gaga discussed how her mental health has always informed her art. "I would say that my mental health always played a really powerful role in making music," Gaga disclosed.

"Because it was always when I was at my lowest that I wanted to sing. [...] I would write music and sing from a place of feeling lost, and it would help me ground myself and find my own voice to tell my story."

With "Mayhem," her seventh studio album, Lady Gaga says she arrived at this new era by learning to embrace every fractured piece of herself — not with shame, but with pride. That acceptance, she shared, brought about a profound sense of healing.

"The Mayhem is all the pieces that make me who I am. I can dive back into it through all my different dreams, all my dark dreams, and I can relive it whenever I want, I can rewrite it to make it beautiful," she revealed.

Fans Deserve Better, and Lady Gaga Knows It

Even though the Miami cancellation was clearly a decision made out of pain and precaution, many fans say it's not just about the performance — it's about the treatment, communication, and respect they expect from a star of Gaga's caliber. Still, there's no denying the depths of emotion Gaga brings to every performance and every decision she makes.